Leadership
Background
Ministry
Experience: JR McElfresh.
Accepted Jesus
Christ at age 39. (Easter Sunday 1979)
Ordained as a
deacon minister January 1983 with North
Phoenix Baptist Church, Phoenix, AZ.
Involved in
teaching, prayer and counseling ministry for
twenty three (23) years with the following
churches:
NPBC (1983 –
1995)
Apollo Baptist Church (1995-1996)
New Life
Community Church (1996-2005)
Christ’s
Church of the Valley (2005-2006)
ChurchUSA
(2006-present)
Ministry
Experience: Marilee McElfresh.
Accepted Jesus
Christ at age 33. (Nov. 12, 1987)
A member of
short-term foreign ministry teams with
International Crusades for Christ to:
Russia in 1992
and Latvia in 1993
Involved in
teaching, prayer and counseling ministry for
eighteen (18) years with the following
churches:
Scottsdale
Bible (1988-1990)
NPBC (1990 –
1995)
Apollo Baptist Church (1995-1996)
New Life
Community Church (1996-2005)
Christ’s
Church of the Valley (2005-2006)
ChurchUSA
(2006-present)
We made a
personal mission trip (for Prayer247365) to
the EU in August 2006 for a prayer walk
around the Peace Palace (Home of the Int’l
Justice System) in The Hague, Netherlands.
Founder’s Statement
In our modern
age, many high profile churches and
ministries focus upon evangelism and avoid
giving prayer the same priority. Church
history tells us that great revivals start
with a core group devoted to prayer for
God-called ministers. These gifted ones,
called out by the Holy Spirit, then put
faith and feet to preaching and teaching the
Gospel. The results were profound!
These
evangelist and preachers depended upon their
faithful prayer partners to intercede for
them before the Father. Their faith in and
dependence upon this core group of
intercessors empowered them in great and
mighty ways. A ministry without such power
is not likely to succeed. Since God’s
ministry belongs to Him, we should always be
in communication with Him and doing things
His way.
The power of
ministry comes from God alone. The more
people that a ministry has seeking the
Father’s will (through prayer) to do that
ministry, the more power and success it will
have. Let’s pose this question: How many
ministries today struggle because of the
lack of trained and experienced prayer
partners? A ministry without much prayer is
a ministry without power.
People are
important to God (before and after they
accept salvation through Jesus Christ). He
gives the gift of the Holy Spirit to each
and every believer. When believers are not
used, they are not able to exercise their
faith and gifts as our Lord intended. Many
believers have the gift of praying, but have
never been challenged to use it. Nor, have
they been taught its principles or depended
upon God to bring answers to specific prayer
needs. Prayer ministry should reach out to
believers to challenge and teach them God’s
purpose for prayer. That purpose is to move
us from where we are to where God wants us
to be.
The mission of
Prayer247365 is two fold. The first is to be
a prayer support vehicle for small and
medium non-profit ministries. The second is
to challenge believers, train them and find
God’s place for them in intercessory prayer
for these non-profit ministries. (See our
Ministry Partner’s page)
The core
philosophy of Prayer247365 is to help
accomplish the Great Commission that our
Lord Jesus set before us. The support we
offer to non-profit ministries is more than
just “lip” service. At present, we serve
three non-profit ministries with prayer
support. The goal of Prayer247365 is to
support these and like ministries with
prayer twenty four hours a day, seven days a
week and three-hundred and sixty five days a
year. To accomplish this goal, we need
prayer partners who are willing to commit
one hour per week for a one month period or
longer.
Those who make
this selfless commitment will glorify our
Lord Jesus, be a blessing to others, and be
blessed by God himself. This commitment will
not be an easy one, but God will protect and
reward those who do. God intended for
believers to be used for his glory. Let’s
serve our Savior the way He intended. Pray
that God reveal His Will for you and
Prayer247365.
Sincerely,
JR & Marilee McElfresh, Prayer247365
JR & Marilee
In Switzerland
